The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 102
A portrait of Matthias F. Stanton appears in this publication.

MATTHIAS F. STANTON.

Death often removes from our midst those whom we can ill afford to lose --
those whose life activity has been of such worth that it seems they should be
spared for years to come. A deep feeling of regret swept throughout Yakima
county when it was learned that Matthias F. Stanton had been called to the home
beyond. He was a native of Indiana, his birth having occurred near Laporte on
the 2d of February, 1837, his parents being William and Anna (Fosher) Stanton.
His father was born near Liberty, Indiana, May 5, 1807, and his mother's birth
occurred in the same locality on the 14th of March, 1803. M. F. Stanton's father
belonged to an old eastern family of English descent.

Having arrived at years of maturity, Matthias F. Stanton married Felicia E.
Whitlock, a native of Oregon and a daughter of Mitchell and Malvina (Engle)
Whitlock, the former a native of Missouri, while the latter was born in
Illinois. Mrs. Whitlock was a daughter of William Engle, who brought his family
to the northwest in 1845, settling in Clackamas county, Oregon, as one of the
earliest of its pioneer residents. In that state he remained till the time of
his death, passing away in Marion county, Oregon. Mitchell Whitlock took up his
abode in Marion county, Oregon, in 1845, having made the long and arduous
journey across the plains, and he and his wife were married in Clackamas county.
Their home, however, was established just across the line in Marion county, and
there they continued to reside until called to the home beyond, his death
occurring in 1898, while his widow survived until 1906.

Matthias F. Stanton and Felicia E. Whitlock were married in Oregon on the 21st
of October, 1869, and in the following month removed to Yakima county where Mr.
Stanton had previously taken up government land on the Ahtanum in 1868. They
were among the first settlers of the region. The work of development and
improvement had scarcely been begun and there was little to indicate the rapid
changes which were soon to occur and transform this into a populous and
prosperous district. All mail and supplies had to come from The Dalles, Oregon,
a distance of one hundred miles. Mr. Stanton engaged in freighting and other
lines of work and also gave much time and attention to the development of his
ranch, while later he engaged in the cattle business. His persistency of purpose
and his unfaltering energy constituted the basic elements in his successful
business career. He continued to reside in the Yakima valley until the time of
his death, which occurred on the 29th of September. 1902. He was active as a
supporter of the republican party in early days but later maintained an
independent political attitude. He was a member of the Christian church, guiding
his life according to its teachings, and his worth was widely acknowledged.

To Mr. and Mrs. Matthias F. Stanton were born five children: Daisy, who died at
the age of sixteen years; Anna M., at home; Matthias, who is a rancher on the
Ahtanum; Percy, who is operating the home farm; and Esther, who became the wife
of Frank W. Brown, a rancher on the Cowiche. Matthias Stanton is a native son of
Yakima county, having been born on the Ahtanum, June 14, 1877. He married
Florence E. Merritt, of Yakima county.

Matthias F. Stanton is survived by his widow, a woman of charming personality
who has resided in the valley since early pioneer days and has therefore
witnessed the entire growth and development of this region. The name of Stanton
has ever been an honored one in the district and is inseparably interwoven with
events and business interests which have left an unmistakable impress upon the
history of this region.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.